NZ749071A - Diverter assembly for a pneumatic transport system - Google Patents

Abstract

Diverter assembly for pneumatic transport of a substance using a fluid flow, e.g. for transporting whey powder. A diverter main body (2) is provided with an input pipe connection (3) having an input flow direction (3a), and at least one output pipe connection (4) having an output flow direction (4a) perpendicular to the input flow direction (3a). The diverter main body (2) further comprises a collision wall part (5) arranged remote and opposite from the input pipe connection (3) and having a collision surface (5a) arranged perpendicular to the input flow direction (3a), and a narrowing flow part (6) shaped and arranged to provide a flow path from the collision wall part (5) to the at least one output pipe connection (4). Wherein the diverter main body (2) further comprises a curved wall part extending between the collision wall part (5) and the input pipe connection (3), wherein the curved wall part, narrowing flow part and collision wall part form a fluid tight enclosure between the input pipe connection (3) and the at least one output pipe connection (4), and wherein the narrowing flow part is shaped as a funnel shaped body and arranged to provide a smooth convergent flow path. The funnel shaped body minimises turbulence and thereby also clogging, caking or scaling of the conveyed product within the diverter assembly and the connected pipework.

Description

er assembly for a pneumatic transport system Field of the invention The present invention relates to a diverter assembly for pneumatic transport of a substance, such as particle—laden or powder like substances.

Prior art American patent publication US 4,536,104 discloses a pipe divider for pipes conveying solids. A cylindrical distributor r is provided to which a feed pipe is connected to provide solids in an air flow tangentially to the cylindrical distributor chamber. Two outlet pipes (with individually ed shut-off valves) are connected centrally and at right angles from the two end faces of the cylindrical distributor chamber. an patent publication EP-A-1 026 107 discloses a joint for pipelines for tic transportation of loose materials. The joint has an inlet and outlet mouth arranged at an angle of 900 to each other. A spherical cap-type concavity is provided with its center ed in proximity of an axis of the inlet mouth, and a rounded swell is provided between the concavity and the outlet mouth. As a result, material transported follows the curvature of the ity and the swell, and is not accumulating in the 90C) bend.

Summary of the invention tic transport or conveyance is an efficient and frequently used method for transporting powder and particle-laden materials or product streams in the process industry. Pneumatic transport has many advantages compared to mechanical transport.

For e, pneumatic transportation systems typically require less complex mechanical s and as a result often exhibit less mechanical malfunction and provide increased service life and durability. However, ion, attrition and/or friction may occur between e.g. particle-laden product streams and walls of transport pipes of conventional pneumatic transport systems, especially at bends and arcuate portions of the transport pipes. Furthermore, during pneumatic conveyance product streams such as powders streams may degrade and break apart. In addition, for certain powder streams comprising crystal water, such as lactose monohydrate , severe caking or g may occur in bends and arcuate portions of the transport pips.

Scaling phenomenon in pneumatic transportation systems is highly undesirable for a number of reasons. First, with uing scaling at bends and arcuate portions of pipe work the more clogged a pipe bend becomes. To solve this problem the transportation system has to be opened, rinsed and cleaned, leading to costly interruptions of production processes. Furthermore, cleaning pipe work often results in exposing the or of the transport system to a non-sterile environment, thereby breaching sterility of the ortation system. Another problem that may occur is that chunks and pieces from powder scales may occasionally dislodge from a pipe bend wall and potentially block further downstream pipes and/or valves and may also end up in the final product.

In view of the above and in light of new and more stringent safety requirements being introduced for food production, there is a need for a reliable, robust, and hygienic operation of a transportation system requiring very little or no interior cleaning at all.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved diverter assembly for a pneumatic transportation system which allows for transport of bulk materials, powders, particle-laden product streams and the like in an efficient, cost-effective and reliable manner, wherein known problems relating to caking, g and internal fouling of arcuate pipe sections and pipe bends of the pneumatic transportation system are prevented.

According to the t ion, a diverter assembly of the type defined in the le is provided, sing a diverter main body provided with an input pipe connection having an input flow direction, and at least one output pipe connection having an output flow direction perpendicular to the input flow direction, wherein the diverter main body further comprises a collision wall part arranged remote and opposite from the input pipe connection and having a collision e arranged perpendicular to the input flow direction, and a ing flow part shaped and arranged to provide a flow path from the collision wall part to the at least one output pipe connection. This allows a cost-effective solution to provide a building block for a pneumatic transport system which will effectively t caking and other red fouling of the inside of the transport system. This will prevent undesired and costly maintenance.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method of providing a pneumatic ort system comprising connecting at least one diverter assembly according to any one of the t invention embodiments to an upstream pipe using the input pipe connection, and to at least one downstream pipe using the at least one output pipe connection. The at least one downstream pipe is positioned in a plane substantially dicular or onal to a longitudinal direction of the upstream pipe. This allows to provide in a very flexible manner a pneumatic transport system which has no bent sections of piping, as all direction changes are possible using the er assembly. Furthermore as such diverter assemblies are used, the transport system can e much longer than prior art systems without the need to open clean the inside of the pneumatic transport system piping.

Short description of drawings The t invention will be discussed in more detail below, using a number of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a three dimensional view of an ment of a diverter assembly according to the present invention, Figure 2 shows a cross sectional View of an embodiment of a diverter assembly according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a part of a pneumatic transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 shows a schematic view of a part of a pneumatic transportation system according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of exemplary embodiments The present invention pertains to a pneumatic transportation system for the transport of various materials, especially bulk al, such as powder like substances and particle-laden product streams, e. g. powdered lactose, n the pneumatic transportation system provides improved reliability whilst requiring considerably less servicing and maintenance.

In prior art installations it is found that bends and/or actuate portions in a pipe may be prone to undesired build-up of the material. Sometimes, the characteristics of the transported material itself makes the pipe k of the transportation system prone to scaling, caking or even blocking. For ce, crystalline materials that contain crystal water (hydrates) may release water upon energy input through e. g. shear stresses and as a result increased temperature. Lactose drate, for example, is sensitive to scaling in a pneumatic ortation system. It is believed that bends or arcuate sections in a pipe induce fast recrystallization when hydrates e with a pipe wall at those bends, causing the material to aggregate and form "plaque".

Examples of substances that may cause scaling and caking as described above are sugars such as glucose and lactose and salts such as sodium acetate, sodium bicarbonate/carbonate, but also whey protein concentrates up to 35% protein on dry weight ining still cant amounts of lactose), whey powder, demineralized whey powder, delactosed whey and permeate for example.

In light of production efficiency and reliability but also from a cost perspective the problem of scaling and caking of pipes in a pneumatic ortation system should be prevented as this requires rigorous cleaning of affected pipes, which is cumbersome and may lead to bacterial contamination and . For example, pipe sections where build-up of material occurs have to be mechanically cleared (through e. g. hammering) or even disconnected to allow flushing, cleaning and drying of clogged pipe sections.

The present invention embodiments in one aspect relate to a diverter assembly for pneumatic transport of a nce using a fluid flow or generally a product stream, 2O such as bulk material streams, powder streams, particle—laden streams and the like. In a particular example such substance or product stream may be lactose in an air flow.

Figure 1 shows a three dimensional view of an embodiment of a diverter ly according to the present ion, and Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a diverter assembly. Figure 3 shows a cross nal schematic view of a combination of two embodiments of diverter assemblies 1, 1a.

In the embodiments shown, the diverter assembly 1 comprises a diverter main body or casing 2 provided with an input pipe connection 3 having an input flow direction 3a, and at least one output pipe connection 4 having an output flow direction 4a perpendicular, i.e. substantially at 90°, to the input flow direction 3a. Therefore, the input flow direction 3a and output flow direction 4a may be considered as being orthogonal. The diverter main body 2 further ses a ion wall part 5 remote and opposite from the input pipe connection 3 and is provided with a collision surface 5a (substantially) dicular to the input flow direction 3a (see also the upper diverter assembly 1a as shown in Figure 3). The er main body 2 further comprises a narrowing flow part 6 which is shaped and arranged to provide a flow path from the collision wall part 5 to the at least one output pipe tion 4. The narrowing flow part 6 is e. g. implemented as a funnel shaped body or a tapered channel part.

The collision wall part 5 effectively blocks the direction of travel of the al in the fluid flow or product stream as it enters the diverter assembly 1, where the fluid flow with the al travels toward the only exit possible, i.e. toward the output pipe connection 4. The diverting action or deflection imposed by the diverter assembly 1 is ily achieved through diverting action or deflection by the transported nce itself and not so much from the deflection by material of the diverter main body 2 on the fluid flow as is known from prior art systems using e. g. flat tube bends. As a result, friction imposed on the product stream in the diverter assembly 1 is almost entirely caused by the product stream itself, i.e. ‘product-on- product’ deflection. For example, in case the pneumatic ortation system s a powder or le-laden product stream, the diverting action and deflection of the diverter assembly 1 is primarily causes by the powder or particles themselves, which prevents the unwanted caking and scaling as mentioned earlier. In particular, a small layer of the transported substance in contact with the collision wall part 5 provides the "product-on-product" deflection, but due to abrasive action of the substance or particle-laden product stream this layer is 2O continuously renewed and ished. As such scaling and caking does not occur in the diverter assembly 1.

In a further embodiment, the diverter main body or casing 2 may comprises a curved wall part 7 extending between the collision wall part 5 to the input pipe connection 3, wherein the curved wall part 7, narrowing flow part 6 and collision wall part 5 form a fluid tight ure between the input pipe connection 3 and the at least one output pipe connection 4. The curved wall part 7 slows down the substance flow and the ing flow part 6 allows a smooth convergence and guidance of diverted substance toward the output pipe connection 4 with minimal turbulence.

In an embodiment, the curved wall part 7 may have e. g. a donut like shape, providing a smooth curvature radially extending from the input pipe connection 3. In another embodiment, the collision wall part 5 has a surface area larger than a cross nal surface area of the input pipe connection 3. This embodiment allows the substance to enter and impact the diverter main body 2 perpendicular to the output flow direction 4a, thus facilitating product-on—product diverting action and deflection The at least one output pipe connection 4 may further comprise two, three or four output pipe tions. In this embodiment the output pipe connections 4 may be distributed along a circumference of the diverter main body 2, e. g. buted at specific pre—determined angles, according to specifications. In an exemplary embodiment, the two, three or four output pipe connections may each have a corresponding output flow direction (substantially) perpendicular to the input flow direction 3a. E.g. in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the upper diverter assembly la has two output pipe connections 4 at 180° to each other.

In a r advantageous embodiment, the diverter assembly 1 further comprises an onal pipe connection 8 with an onal input or output flow direction 8a, 8b substantially aligned with the input flow direction 3a, see e. g. Figure 2.

The additional pipe connection 8 then comprises a valve ly 9, wherein the valve assembly 9 is arranged to function as the collision wall part 5 of the diverter main body 2 in a closed position. This embodiment allows the diverter assembly 1 to act as a two- way valve for bulk material, powders and various particle-laden product streams, with the advantage that caking is avoided at the "bend", i.e. the point of diversion or ion of the product stream in the diverter assembly 1. In a particular embodiment, 2O the valve assembly 9 comprises a retractable member 5b comprising the collision wall part 5.

In case the valve assembly 9 is in the open position, the diverter assembly 1 may be envisaged as providing a bypass, thereby letting a transported substance to pass the diverter assembly 1 without being deflected. In an ment, the additional pipe connection 8 may be arranged opposite and aligned with the input pipe connection 3, hence providing a straight passageway through the diverter ly 1 when the valve assembly 9 is in an open position.

The valve assembly 9 effectively turns the diverter assembly 1 into a two-way valve whereby a pipe network can be arranged comprising a plurality of diverter assemblies 1 capable of diverting a transported substance to a plurality of branched locations in the pipe network yet avoid any scaling, caking and/or internal g of the pipe k. The various er assemblies 1 may be arranged in a tree-like structure of pipes, wherein output pipes are connected at e. g. different height levels above a main input connection.

In a further embodiment, the at least one output pipe connection 4 is provided with a further valve assembly 10, allowing to select which output connection 4 of multiple output connections is to be used. Also, the output pipe connection 4 may be in a closed position in conjunction with an open position of the additional pipe tion 8. The diverter assembly 1 may be ed to select one output connection 4 to which material is to be directed, but, alternatively, a plurality of output connections may be opened simultaneously when the additional pipe connection 8 is , for example.

The valve assembly 9 and/or the further valve assembly 10 may each be a sliding type of valve assembly, e. g. a guillotine or gate type of shut-off valve. Such type of valve can accomplish a very good sealing of output connections and prevent any of the transported material to enter a pipe connected to the output pipe connection 4 or additional pipe connection 8 when closed. Especially when the al to be transported is a very fine powdered material, such a type of valve may be particularly advantageous.

Alternatively or additionally, the valve assembly 9 and one or more of the further valve assemblies 10 may se a butterfly type of valve. As a r implementation of a butterfly type of valve, it is conceivable that a butterfly type of 2O valve comprises an inflatable seal for the valve or an inflatable valve seat. Such inflatable sealing functionality will further help in effective sealing operation of the valve assembly 9 and one or more further valve lies 10, wherein any kind of abrasive action or carving is prevented by the nce (e.g. lactose powder) when it would pass the seal or valve seating.

With further nce to Figure 2, in an embodiment the input pipe connection 3 may further comprise an input valve assembly 20, which may be used to close off material flow in the input pipe connection 3. In an even further embodiment the input valve assembly 20 comprises a further collision wall part 21 of the diverter main body 2. The further collision wall part 21 acts as a further collision e 21a when the input valve assembly 20 is in a closed position (and the oppositely positioned valve assembly 9 in additional pipe connection 8 is in an open position). This embodiment is ageous when the additional pipe connection 8 acts as a flow input to the diverter assembly 1, i.e. wherein the additional pipe connection 8 has an additional input flow ion 8b when the valve assembly 9 is in an open position.

Like the collision wall part 5, the further collision wall part 21 of the fiirther valve assembly 20 is arranged remote and opposite from the additional pipe connection 8 and is provided with a further collision surface 21a arranged perpendicular to the additional input flow direction 8b. The further collision wall part 21 allows ion or deflection of bulk material, powder and particle—laden streams entering the diverter assembly 1 from the additional pipe connection 8 toward the at least one output pipe connection 4 when the valve assembly 9 is open.

From the above embodiment it is clear that the diverter assembly 1 may receive a nce from either the input pipe connection 3 or the additional pipe connection 8, depending on r the valve assembly 9 and the input valve assembly 20 are in an open and closed position, respectively, or vice versa.

As with the valve assembly 9, the input valve ly 20 may be provided with a table member comprising the further collision wall part 21. In an embodiment and just like the valve assembly 9 of the additional pipe connection 8, the input valve assembly 20 may be a g type, gate type or a butterfly type of valve In order to further prevent any le caking of t in a downstream pipe 2O connected to an output pipe connection 4, the diverter assembly 1 may further comprise an output pipe part 11 provided at least partly with a turbulence enhancing inner surface 12 connected to the at least one output pipe connection 4. A turbulence enhancing inner surface 12 may be implemented e. g. using a corrugated section or a section with a circumferential rippled pattern, or as a section of the output pipe part 11 having protrusions on its inside surface. Such a corrugated pipe section or pattern 12 is also shown in the cross sectional view of Figure 2. Even if the material in the fluid flow or particle-laden product stream would encounter turbulence when exiting downstream of the output pipe connection 4 or further valve assembly 10, such a corrugated pipe part 12 will prevent the product from caking by establishing a more laminar flow further downstream.

In a r embodiment, the diverter main body 2 may r comprise one or more reinforcement ribs 13 on an outside surface of the diverter main body 2. Such one or more reinforcement ribs 13 provide further structural ty to the diverter main body 2 without adding significant weight or cost of al.

In a further aspect, the t invention relates to a method of providing a pneumatic transportation system, for which we refer to Figure 3 showing a schematic view of a part of a tic transportation system according to an embodiment of the present ion. In the embodiment of Figure 3 a network of interconnected pipes 15, 16, 17 is depicted, wherein a plurality of diverter lies 1, 1a are utilized for interconnecting the pipes.

According to the present invention, the method of providing a pneumatic transportation system comprises connecting at least one diverter ly 1 according to any one of the embodiments disclosed herein above to an upstream pipe 15 using the input pipe connection 3, and to at least one downstream pipe 16 using the at least one output pipe connection 4, wherein the at least one downstream pipe 16 is positioned in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the upstream pipe 15.

In view of the diverter assembly 1 disclosed above, the upstream pipe 15 may be assigned the input flow ion 3a and the output flow direction 4a may be associated with the downstream pipe 16. As such, the input flow direction 3a and output flow ion 4a are orthogonal. As shown, the upstream pipe 15 and the at least one downstream pipe 16 are arranged at an angle 0t which is set to effectively and substantially 900 degrees, ing possible small misalignments, dimensional variations etc. of the upstream pipe 15 and/or the at least one downstream pipe 16.

According to the present invention, multiple diverter assemblies 1 may be used to cater for specific pneumatic transport requirements, wherein it will be clear that a downstream pipe 16 may itself become an upstream pipe 15 for a successive er assembly.

In an embodiment, the method may further comprise connecting at least one further downstream pipe 17 to the additional pipe connection 8, which further downstream pipe 17 is then arranged along a longitudinal direction of the upstream pipe 15.

It is noted that the upstream pipe 15 and at least one downstream pipe 16 are all straight pipes interconnected through one or more er assemblies 1 according to the present invention. Such straight pipes do not comprise bends or arcuate sections so as to prevent scaling or caking of transported material there through. 2017/050428 To summarize the above and in view of Figure 3, the diverter assembly 1 of the t ion may be part of a pneumatic ort system, comprising a feed line leading to a diverter ly 1, the feed line 15 being connected to the input pipe connection 3 of the diverter assembly 1. At least one exit or output pipe 16 is connected to the diverter assembly 1, the exit pipe 16 being connected to an output pipe connection 4. As mentioned earlier, the diverter assembly 1 may comprise a plurality of output pipe connections circumferentially arranged around the ed assembly 1, i.e. diverter main body 2, n the plurality of output pipe connections each have an output flow direction onal to the input flow direction 3a of input flow connection 3. There are embodiments wherein up to five exit pipes 16 may be connected to a diverter assembly 1. In conformity with orthogonality requirements, the angle 0L between the feed line 15 and the at least one exit pipe 16 is set to around 90°.

Now, the pneumatic transportation system can be further arranged to comprise a downstream feed line 17 connected to an additional pipe connection 8 of the diverter assembly 1, wherein the output pipe connection 8 ses a valve assembly 9. The downstream feed line 17 is aligned with the feed line 15 and allows further branching of the feed line 15 downstream of the diverter assembly 1 in the transportation system (e. g. the lowest diverter assembly drawn in Figure 3). The downstream feed line 17 is at an angle of approximately 1800 with respect to the feed line 15.

The downstream feed line 17 may in turn be connected to a further diverter assembly 1a, wherein the ream feed line 17 is connected to the input pipe connection 3 of the further diverter assembly 1a (e. g. upper diverter assembly drawn).

The further diverter assembly 1a may in the depicted embodiment also comprise at least one further exit pipe 18 orthogonally arranged with respect to the downstream feed line 17 as well as the feed line 15. Likewise, the at last one further exit pipe 18 is connected to the output pipe connection 4 of the further diverted assembly 1a.

In on to the embodiment shown in Figure 3 with regard to a pneumatic transportation system, Figure 4 shows a schematic pneumatic transportation system according to an alternative embodiment. In particular, the input pipe connection 3 may also comprise an input valve assembly 20 as described above and depicted in, for example, Figure 2. In view of this this ment it is possible to arrange a tic transportation network or system wherein two input material streams A and B may be ed or deflected to a common output material stream C. More precisely, as shown, the transportation network comprises a primary diverter ly 1 and two secondary diverter assemblies lb, lc according to the present invention. All depicted pipes 24, 25, 26, 28, 29 are straight pipes without bends and/or arcuate sections to prevent caking of orted material. The primary diverter assembly 1 comprises the additional pipe tion 8 with the valve assembly 9 and the input pipe connection 3 is provided with the input valve assembly 20. The output pipe connection 4 is connected to a straight pipe 29 carrying the output material stream C. The valve assembly 9 comprises the ion wall part 5 and collision surface 5a and the input valve assembly 20 se the further collision wall part 21 and the further collision surface 21a.

The additional pipe connection 8 is connected to the at least one output pipe connection 4 of one of the two secondary diverter assemblies lb and the input pipe connection 3 is connected to the at least one output pipe tion 4 of the other of the two secondary diverter assemblies lc. Each of the two ary diverter assemblies 1b, 1c comprise a corresponding collision wall part 5 and a corresponding collision surface 5a. As shown, the pneumatic transport system only comprises bends that are substantially dicular for ting caking, scaling etc.

With this exemplary pneumatic transportation system it is possible to choose which input material stream A, B is diverted to the output material stream C. For example, in a first configuration of the pneumatic transportation system, the valve 2O assembly 9 of the additional output connection 8 is in an open position but wherein the further valve assembly 20 of the input pipe connection 3 is in a closed position. In this first configuration the r collision surface 21a of the further valve assembly 20 diverts or deflects the input material stream A toward the output material stream C. In a second configuration it is now possible to divert the input material stream B toward the output stream C by g the valve assembly 9 of the additional pipe connection 8 in a closed on and to put the further valve assembly 20 of the input pipe connection 3 in an open position. Whichever configuration is chosen, the collision surface 5a and the further collision surface 21a allow deflection of a material stream without causing caking or scaling of transported material s A, B.

The skilled person will appreciate that in light of the above a modular pneumatic transportation system of mutually parallel and onal pipes can be arranged and interconnected using diverter assemblies as disclosed. The pneumatic transportation system will be free from g, caking and/or "plague", thereby increasing uptime, ility as well as sterility of the pneumatic transportation system and the material transported there through.

As depicted all pipes leading away from er assemblies do not comprise any bends or arcuate sections for preventing any possible caking and/or scaling problems. Consequently, during operation, a significant reduction of downtime as well as maintenance cost can be achieved as it is no longer necessary to open up the transportation system and cleaning internals of pipes (wet or mechanically). For example, experience with tional prior art pneumatic transport systems has shown that within intervals of six weeks, some sections of the transportation system had to be cleaned from e. g. lactose scaling. However, experiments with a pneumatic transportation system comprising the diverter assembly 1 according to the present invention have shown that no such cleaning was needed within a time span of six weeks and that the pneumatic transportation system was fully operable without downtime for much longer periods.

The present ion embodiments have been described above with reference to a number of ary embodiments as shown in the drawings. Modifications and alternative entations of some parts or elements are le, and are included in the scope of protection as defined in the ed claims.

Claims (16)

1. Diverter assembly for pneumatic transport of a substance using a fluid flow, comprising a diverter main body (2) provided with an input pipe connection (3) having an input flow direction (3 a), and at least one output pipe connection (4) having an output flow direction (4a) perpendicular to the input flow direction (3a), wherein the diverter main body (2) further ses a collision wall part (5) arranged remote and opposite from the input pipe 10 connection (3) and having a collision surface (5a) arranged perpendicular to the input flow ion (3 a), and a narrowing flow part (6) shaped and arranged to provide a flow path from the ion wall part (5) to the at least one output pipe connection (4). 15

2. Diverter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the diverter main body (2) r comprises a curved wall part (7) extending between the ion wall part (5) and the input pipe connection (3), wherein the curved wall part (7), narrowing flow part (6) and collision wall part (5) form a fluid tight enclosure between the input pipe connection (3) and the at least 2O one output pipe connection (4).

3. Diverter ly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the collision wall part (5) has a e area larger than a cross sectional surface area of the input pipe tion (3).

4. Diverter assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the at least one output pipe connection (4) comprises two, three or four output pipe connections.

5. Diverter assembly according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising an 30 additional pipe connection (8) with an additional input or output flow direction (8a, 8b) substantially aligned with the input flow direction (3 a), the additional pipe connection (8) comprising a valve ly (9), wherein the valve assembly (9) is arranged to function as the collision wall part (5) of the diverter main body (2) in a closed position.

6. er assembly according to claim 5, wherein the valve assembly (9) is a sliding type of valve assembly or a butterfly type of valve.

7. Diverter assembly according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the at least one output connection (4) is provided with a further valve assembly (10).

8. Diverter assembly according to claim 7, wherein the further valve assembly (10) is a sliding type of valve assembly, or a fly type of valve.

9. Diverter assembly according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the input pipe connection (3) further comprises an input valve assembly (20).

10. Diverter assembly according to claim 9, when further referring to claim 5 or 6, 15 wherein the input valve assembly (20) ses a firrther collision wall part (21) of the diverter main body (2).

11. Diverter assembly according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the input valve assembly (20) is a sliding type, gate type or a butterfly type of valve assembly.

12. Diverter assembly according to any one of claims 1-11, further comprising an output pipe part (11) provided at least partly with a turbulence enhancing inner surface (12) connected to the at least one output pipe connection (4). 25

13. er assembly according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the diverter main body (2) r comprises one or more rcement ribs (13) on an outer surface of the er main body (2).

14. Method of providing a pneumatic transport system comprising 30 connecting at least one diverter assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1- 13 to an upstream pipe (15) using the input pipe tion (3), and to at least one downstream pipe (16) using the at least one output pipe connection (4), wherein the at least one downstream pipe (16) is positioned in a plane substantially perpendicular or orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the upstream pipe (15).

15. Method according to claim 14 when referring to the diverter ly of 5 claim 5, further comprising connecting at least one further downstream pipe (17) to the additional pipe connection (8).

16. Method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the upstream pipe (15) and the at least one ream pipe (16) are straight pipes. 0000000 00 ‘ 4151:: i 221